"Oi! Legs up this is a work out not a brisk jog, I might be pregnant, but I'll still kick your ass." Everyone began chuckling as they ran around the training field, Ally stood idle in the centre watching them run past in unison.
Aiden, "She's pretty cheerful today considering."
Isaac, "It's Ally, she'll find her own way to pick herself up."
Blake, "Are you sure she's not a sadist I've been running for an hour now?"
Damien, "You might be onto something there." They all began laughing like good friends.
"Does this look like a comedy show to you, keep running!" Blake could see the end of his sister lips curl; she was really enjoying herself.
"Come on sis, were exhausted." Ally pouted then sighed, looks like her fun was over. Clicking her fingers everyone stopped dead and put their hands behind their backs.
"Everyone fall in!" They all sprinted into a line with smirks on their faces, Ally's serious face was sort of funny in a way. Panting and leaning against each other they struggled to stay upright.
"You're still standing that's a good start; your stamina has improved a lot. Okay, Quinn!" Quinn startled and looked at her dazed sweat dripping from his brown curly hair.
"Yes Beta." Dazed he saluted causing Ally to break character and smile. Imitating she saluted back, Quinn blushed in embarrassment as the pack began snickering like children. Ally gave him a nod.
"At ease soldier. What is my number one rule?" This was Ally's favourite game, there was no point in having a well build body with a jelly mind. Quinn knew the answer; he was smart and knew how to listen.
"Never engage with an enemy without informing the pack, our lives aren't undervalued that much to be a hero." Ally smiled and nodded approvingly. Next her glare was directed at Damien.
"Damien, what is my second most important rule." Damien thought long and hard about the answer, in his exhaustion his mind wasn't working correctly.
"Never underestimate your opponent, the enemy ahead of may not be your only one." Ally nodded, finally they were getting it. Ally looked down at the little pup looking at her like a saint, his big brown eyes begging for attention.
"Jake, what is rule number three?" Jake started bouncing with excitement, he knew this rule well.
"Fight with your mind not your heart, emotions are too influential and will numb your combat skills." Ally shook his head happily. Aiden and Isaac both looked at each other, they would pay to see that smile every day.
"Okay, you all did well. You're dismissed go and eat something." Fists shot in the air victoriously as they all began sprinting towards the house. Ally chuckled and began collecting cones from the field, the four boys stayed back to help. Blake was impressed with the level of progress, some of these wolves had gone from weak to the strongest in western region. Ally picked up a stone and playfully bounced it off his head to attract him attention. Blake groaned and rubbed his perky black hair.
"I was thinking of something but Ill need your opinion." Blake watched her collect cones intrigued, it was rare she consorted with him about training. Ally took a deep breath.
"There is only so much you can learn from observation; I want something more real for them. What better way to learn than trial and error?" Blake began thinking, this was intriguing, but he wasn't prepared for what was about to escape her mouth.
"I want to enter them in a fighting ring in the city, if they've listened well there's no way they can lose." Blake's face went white. This piece of history had been buried a long time ago, but the memories came back sorer than ever. Isaac's ears pricked up at this too and he looked at Blake worriedly.
When Ally was fifteen, both boys noticed she was sneaking out at night and returning with injuries. Some days it would be broken bones, hips, burst lips and black eyes, Ally would avoid them completely so they couldn't question them about it. One day she didn't come home so Isaac and Blake followed her scent and went looking for her before Alpha King could find out. Ally's scent took them to the city, it's a mutual town for all species alike but it's number one rule was no fighting amongst races. In fact, it was forbidden and considered discrimination. However, in the underground tunnels was an illegal fighting ring set up by the rich…
When Ally had gone to the city to fetch medicine for her father, a benefactor had taken a liking to her and offered money so she could one day leave the pack and start her own. Every night, she had to fight other species like Alpha wolves and vampires sometimes even mages. In barely any clothes she attracted a lot of customers who would watch her fight. Blake and Isaac both followed the scent of blood underground and found an unsettling sight. Ally was at a disadvantage three to one, she'd been tricked and was trying her best to stay alive. Isaac was horrified to see her covered in so much blood but the animalistic look in her eyes scared him more than anything.
Ally managed by miracle to beat them all and claim her prize but as she was exiting the ring she passed out from exhaustion. Blake and Isaac carried her home and contained her in the house until her obsession subsided. Ally explained she had gotten addicted to the adrenaline and it sickened them both.
Isaac, "You've got to be joking me, have you lost it?" he said angrily glaring her down. Ally looked down in guilt remembering her time in the illegal underground.
"Look, I enjoyed it for the wrong reasons but why do you think I'm so good at fighting. I've never lost a fight in my life after my time there. It's not a message of beating someone until they can't fight anymore it's all about endurance. That world taught be a lot of things, I wouldn't be the person I am today without that experience." Blake scowled and threw a cone across the field, flames bursting from his ears.
"That might not be a good thing you idiot, you don't know how to give up. Have you forgotten what you put me and Isaac through back then and your willing to put your own pack through the same thing? Don't f*ck with me!" Ally's mouth dropped wide open; Blake was rarely this angry, but she could understand his reasoning. However, she was stubborn and didn't like being talk down too.
"Exactly that has saved your ass more than once brother so keep your mouth shut. I messed up and I admitted my mistake so forgive me for seeing the positive of that situation." Ally grabbed her cones and stormed off, Blake hit his head frustration, he could never win an argument with Ally. Damien and Aiden didn't really understand what was going on, they had no idea Ally used to partake in such things.
"Blake, maybe we are being too harsh. Yeah it was tough but it's true she's never lost a fight since." Blake looked at him like an idiot.
"Isaac, we carried her out of there covered in blood and held her down for three days to stop her going back, are you f*cking kidding me?" Isaac sighed; Blake was very sensitive to past memories because they mostly consisted of Ally being hurt. Aiden looked across the field seeing Luther standing talking to Ally as she cleared up, he tutted attracting Isaac's attention.
"Jesus, he's glued to her hip. It pisses me off." Damien's eyes were glued to his father, after his deep conversation he felt at ease not being able to forgive him, but the way Ally allowed his presence did grind on him a lot.
"Hey Damien, have you spoken to your father at all?" Aiden had been observing his seething face and became concerned. Damien snapped out of his daze and began cleaning again trying not to think of it.
"I have nothing to say to him." He said bluntly, Isaac chuckled tauntingly. Blake was also concerned there was a lot of tension around the subject which was expected.
"What's gotten into you, weren't you daddies' little pet. Are you sad because he replaced you brat?" Isaac was trying to get a reaction out of him, but Damien kept composed and ignored him. Aiden wanted him to open up, he was family now after all. It was his choice to follow Ally and he was nothing like his father. Damien's heart was still pure.
"Damien, you can talk to us. We get it." Damien suddenly froze up gripping the cone in his hand until it cracked. They all looked in bewilderment, it looked like he snapped.
"What could you possibly get…" he whispered under his breath; Aiden walked closer cautiously.
"Damien—"
"WHAT DO YOU FUCKING GET?" Everyone jumped as this huge voice screamed from his mouth.
"Whoa, calm down." Blake said fearfully, Damien spun around his eyes glowing red.
"How can she stand to be near him after everything he put her through! How can she look at herself knowing she's carrying that bastard's child, I hate it! I hate the way she looks at him, I hate the way she treats me like her kid. I hate it!" Wide eyed they watched him pant in distress, but it looked like a weight had lifted from his shoulders. Isaac stepped forward stunned at his words, he knew what those words meant.
"Damien, are you in love with her?" Like a stop sign his whole face blushed red until it was almost the same colour as his eyes. Blake glanced over at Ally, luckily, she wasn't listening.
"O-Of course I do, she was the first person who treated me like a normal person. The first person to protect me and ask me if I was feeding enough, the first person to treat my wounds when I was hurt. Why did it have to be him…it was agony watching them together…I despise him." Tears began falling from his eyes, none of them knew he felt so strongly about her. Damien was always so quiet; it was like looking at a vulnerable child.
"Ahh so annoying, come with me." Isaac grabbed his wrist and dragged him off the field. Damien obediently followed behind like a lost puppy leaving Aiden and Blake in awe, Isaac never took an interest in Damien? Ally watched suspiciously as Isaac dragged Damien off.
------------------------Pack Garden------------------------
"Sit down." Damien was confused but obeyed, deep down he was afraid seeing Isaac acting out of character. Isaac looked away from him embarrassed.
"Look kid I get it; I know the feeling all too well. It sucks right, seeing the way he looks at her." Damien wiped his tears and nodded. As he began thinking, he didn't know Isaac and Ally relationship he realized just recently that he was also in love with her.
"What happened between you two?" he asked sheepishly, Isaac gripped the tree nearby. Their story was painful but maybe telling Damien would ease his mind. Isaac groaned and sat down beside playing with a rose he'd plucked from the nearby bush.
"It might be hard to believe but we were going to get married." Damien looked at him shocked…this was news to him. Isaac began tearing the petals from the pink rose and throwing them viciously at the ground.
"When I was four my parents were killed by hunters leaving me an orphan. I was in an orphanage for young pups when a guy called Alpha King picked me up, he knew my father and felt bad for me, so he took me in. I was in the pack for three days and I was treated like an outcast. Blake was little and kind he tried to get along with me, but I was a rough kid. I was never good at making friends. I would sit in this very garden feeling sorry for myself until one day a felt some one sit beside me. Annoyed I glared at them thinking it was some cocky kid who felt bad for me, but it wasn't." Damien listened intensely, this was a nostalgic story and Isaac was smiling to himself.
"When I looked at the little girl sitting next to me with big blue eyes and raven long hair, I was completely captivated not just because she was beautiful but because she looked at me like any other person. I was staring at her and what she did next knocked me out of my despair. She turned to me and said crying is not going to bring them back and neither is being angry. I'll play with you but if you start feeling sorry for yourself, I'll punch you, your stronger than that. I was so shocked I started laughing, she talked and moved like a boy, yet she looked so much like a girl. It was the first time I laughed since my parents died." Damien smiled, of course hat was Ally. Who else could be so insensitive yet kind at the same time?
"After that day we would play, fight and run together. Out of everyone she stood out to me, when I realized how sadistic her father was Ally reassured me. Ally would take anyone's beatings even the pups she didn't like which was most. I fell in love with her the day I met her in this garden, but I didn't tell her until we were fifteen. That day I told she looked at me like the biggest idiot she'd even seen. I'll never forget what she said…took you long enough idiot." Damien and Isaac chuckled with each other; they would expect nothing else from her.
"I don't get it, if you loved each other so much why did you guys stop dating?" This was a nice story, but it still didn't explain why Isaac and Ally weren't together anymore. Isaac face was covered in guilt and sorrow as he began mentally preparing himself to tell the truth.
"Um…one day me and Ally went for a walk outside the territory to get away from her father. As we were walking Ally grabbed my shirt and stopped us still listening to the branches snapping around us. Before we knew it a group of feral vampires sprung out of the bushes and started attacking us. Ally was always a better fighter than me, so she was doing great holding them off, but I wasn't so careful. One of them slashed my stomach and I started bleeding out and it made them go wild. Ally stood in front of me to protect me. I watched her tear them apart, but they were slowly killing her. Eight vampires versus one wolf and she was still victorious, but I wasn't as brave as her." Isaac paused catching his breath, Damien felt oddly sympathetic towards him he'd never seen Isaac look so distraught before.
"Ally was a lot more hurt than me, but she kneeled down and begged me to stay with her, we were both exhausted and she was crying looking at my face. That was the last time I was alive… Joseph, Aiden's father found me and turned me so I could keep on living. But I was so ashamed of what I'd become I didn't see her for a whole year she went off the rails after she believed I was dead…I f*cked up I should have come straight back to her but I was naïve." Damien bowed his head seeing the sadness and disappointment radiating from Isaac.
"Then the same thing happened to Ally when your father turned her and she was amazing, the minute she woke up Ally returned home and rendered her father making Blake Alpha. Then, she fell in love with my brother and began staying at the mansion while your father perused her. It wasn't until she half killed him that we both realized we were both alive. I remember the way she looked at me, I'd never seen such hatred in my life, but I guessed that's what I deserved. Ally killed seven vampires to save me and I couldn't even come back to her when I got a second chance. That's how Ally and I fell out of love." Isaac stretched and stood up.
"The moral of the story is love is tough, brutal and it hurts like hell, but I'll never give up on her. Your father is my enemy and now he's your too. If you want something in this world don't wait around for it or you'll eventually lose it forever." Isaac waved and walked back to the front doors leaving Damien in deep thought, he thought how beautiful and devastating their tale was. It must be painful for Isaac he thought but it was also painful for Ally having to go through that.
------------------------------Pack House-------------------------------
"Come in." Ally was putting clothes away when she heard a light knock of her door. Unexpectedly Damien walked in with his head down and closed the door behind him. Ally stopped watching his body language, he looked so afraid she thought and immediately got angry thinking Isaac had threatened him.
"What did he say to you? He's not hurting you, is he?" Damien looked up surprised and shook his head enthusiastically, Isaac was trying to help him. Ally sat down in relief and waited for him to talk; something was on his mind. Damien stood ahead of her and Ally saw his ears were red, he looked flushed.
"Ally…I like you…in a romantic way." Complete silence filled the room as Ally's mouth gaped in shock, that was the last thing she expected to come out of Damien's mouth. This was the first time she'd been rendered speechless.
"D-Damien you're like a son to me what are you talking about?" Damien clenched his fists.
"I don't want to be your son; I want to stay by your side." Ally gulped; he was serious this wasn't just puppy love. What the hell had Isaac told this kid she thought.
"Damien, what about your father—"
"Why! How can you love someone like him? He's a monster look at what he's done to you!" Ally stood up as he raised his voice, this was a totally different person in-front of her right now. Ally had never seen him so angry; he was shaking like a leaf.
"What he's done to me?" Damien was too driven by emotion and let his lips flap hurtfully.
"I pity you having to raise a child with such a monster, your better off getting rid of it then you won't be tied to him!" Ally felt a sharp pain in her heart, it hurt so bad her body shuddered. Damien slowly came to the realization of what he'd said. His mind shattered as he looked up to see tears dripping from her mismatched eyes.
"How could you say such a thing?" she said quietly. Damien walked forward but Ally retreated away from him, this was the first time she'd wanted to hurt him physically, it was agony restraining herself.
"That was cruel of me, I'm sorry. But…it's true you could be free—" Before Damien could say another word, he felt a sharp pain across his cheek as Ally slapped him brutally.
"Get out, I don't want to look at you right now." Damien held his throbbing cheek; he was so selfish he thought. That was like asking her to choose between Luther and her child.
"I'm sorry." Damien fled before Ally could see his tears, taking deep breaths bulked up on adrenaline Ally put her hands over her stomach as if comforting her unborn child. It hurt her so much because that was her initial consideration when she discovered her pregnancy, now she wouldn't dream of doing such a thing but didn't stop the sharp memories coming back with vengeance. No-one could take her daughter away, not anyone…